Coupling-box for electrical conduits



-No Model.)

UOUPLING BOX FOR ELECTRICAL GONDUITS.

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P. DE'NISON.

Patented Oct-15,1889.

' aHo'cne.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 's. P; DENISON.

COUPLING BOXI'OR ELEUTRIGAL GONDUITS. No. 413,133. Patented 0ot.-15, 1889..

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SPECIFICATION fc'ormingpartof Letters Patent No. it-13,133, detedmetober -15, 1889.

Application filed July 27, 1889 Serial Ill). 318,9l6. (No 2116601.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, SYLvEsrnR P. DEM SUN, of Brooklyn, county of Kings, State of New York, have invented a new and Intproved Coupling-Box for Electrical Conduit Pipes, of which the: following is a specificae tion.

The invention is i'nore especially designed to connect pipes or pipe ends in electrical IO conduits in which the cables or conductors are incased in metal pipes-such, for instance, as have been laid in the subways of New York city, where series of parallel iron pipes in quite close proximity, into which the I 5 cables are drawn, are buried in cement and extend from man-hole to man-hole.

The coupling was specially designed byme for use in practicing the method described below; but no claim is made herein to said method, as it forms the subject-matter of a divisional application filed by'rne September 21, 1889, No. 324,613.

The problem of practically making house or lateral connections with the conductors within the pipes has been a serious one. It

has been proposed (and practiced to acertain extent) to lay at intervals lateral connectionboxes into which the pipes lead, and when. wires are to be brought out for a house-con- 140 nection the box must be located and reached. This isan objectionable method for several reasons: First, the first cost of such a conduit is excessively increased, since to make the system at all practicable a sufficient number of such boxes must be laid to meet prospective demands; second, thelateral connections can only be made at the points where boxes are located, and, third, in threading cables into the pipes the boxes form obstructions, and as ,4 several pipes usuallylead'into and out offabox the pilot-head is liable in leaving the box to enter the wrong'pipe and lead the cable into it. All these objections are obviated by my method of making suchconnections, as I can connect at any point with any of the exposed or outer pipes of the bank or series forming the conduit.

I proceed as follows: At any point along the line of the conduit where it is desired to melee a la eral connection with one or more of the pipes or cables I expose the desired pipe of the conduit, and bytwo longitudinal cuts and two transverse cuts extending around the pipe at the ends of thelongitudt nal cuts, made by 11183118 of an y suitable tools, 5 5 I cut out a short section of the pipe without cutting or injuring the covering oi? the inclosed cable. I then open the cable, bring out the desiredctmductors, make the lateral connections with them, and properlyrnanip- 6o ulate and treat the joint thus ,rnade in the sheath of the cable. This break in the continuity of the pipe is then bridged and the cable protected by a coupling formed in two longitudinal halves, one of which has a laterally-projecting tube, through which the lateral conductors running to the house are passed. The coupling being properly secured and packed, the cable is as thoroughly protected as if the pipe had not been cut, and the coupling being of general tubular shape and constituting a prolongation or section of the conduit-pipe it offers no obstruction to the threading of a cable therein, and does not permit of the possibility of a cable being drawn into an adjoining pipea thing liable to occur with the ordinary coupling-boxes now in use, as above mentioned.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan partly in section; Fig. 2, an elevation partly in section; Fig. 3, a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. i, an end view showing the conduit-pipe in section; and Fig.

5, a diagram view indicating the ends of a conduitpipe from which a section has been cut, the incloscd' cable, the coupling, and the lateral connectionslcading therefrom through the passage in the side of the coupling.

A indicates the cable; a a, the lateral or house connections leading therefrom, and B B 0 the ends of a conduit-pipe, from which a section that is replaced by the coupling has been out without injuring the cable, as above described.

The coupling consists of a lower section C, having semicircular ends 0, in which the ends 15 B of the conduit-pipe lie, and a lateral projection or- -tube c, through e'hich the houseconnect-ions a a are passed; On each side thelower section (J is termed with a longi- 1G0 e, fitting into the groove (1'.

tudinal recess or packing-groove 0 which at the semicircular ends 0 runs along their inner edges, as seen at c in Figs. 1' and 4. A half-collar D is placed over each end of the conduit-pipe and is bolted to the end 0, so as to clamp theend of the pipe between them. This colla'r has a packing-groove d along each edge, Fig.v 4, corresponding with the grooves 0 This joint is of course to be leaded or suitably packed to render it tight.

The exterior face of each collarD has formed in it transversely to the end of the pipe a packing-groove d, which on each side runs into the groove 0 in the lower section at m. The opening in this structure is now closed by a cover E, having on each side a longitudinal edge or rib e, fitting into the groove 0 and on each end a transverse edge or rib These grooves being puttied, cemented, or otherwise suitably packed, the cover E is securely clamped in place by any suitable means, but preferably in the following manner; Two clamps 1*, having inwardly-proj ecting hooks f uponthei r ends, are slipped over the coupling, so that they hook under the flanges y of the lower section (3. Screw-bolts F passing through the tops of the clamps bear upon the top of the cover E and firmly secure it. The edges f of the hooks f and the under face 1 of the flange y are inclined, as shown, so that they tend to draw the ends of the clanipsinwardly.

Where the coupling is used for conduitpipes laid comparatively closely in tiers or banks, the parts are of course so proportioned and the width of the flanges y and hooked ends f of the clamps is such as to permit the passage of the ends of the clampstbetween adjoining pipes.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combinatior, substantially as set forth, of the lower coupling-section, the halfcollars bolted to the ends thereof, the cover fitting over the lower section and half-collars, and clamping devices for securing the cover.

2. The combination, substantially as set forth, with the cover and for securing it in place, of the remaining portion of the coupling upon which the cover lies, comprising a lower section and rings or collars at the ends thereof for embracing the ends of the pipes, said coupling having alateral passage, for the purpose described.

3. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the lower section having the lateral passage for house-connections, semicircular ends, and packinggrooves, the half-collars having the transverse packing-grooves, the cover, and clamping devices for securing the cover in place.

4. The combination, substantially as set forth, with the cover and clamping devices for securing it in place, of the remaining portion of the coupling upon which a cover lies, comprising a-lower section and sectional rings or collars at the ends thereof for embracing the ends of the pipes, said coupling having a lateral passage, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my nam e SYLVESTER P. DENISON. Witnesses:

EDWARD C. DAVIDSON, 11'. Rum Mom.

clamping devices 

